Amusement device.



L. A. DILS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLIoATIoN FILED nso Patented May 16, 1911.

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LOGAN ALFRED DILS, 0F CENTRALIA, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALLEN A. MILLER, OF CENTR-ALIA, WASHINGTON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1911.

Application iled December 15, 1910. Serial No. 597,491.

To all 'whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known that I, LOGAN A. DiLs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Centralia, in the county of Lewis and State of lvashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in amusement devices.

One object of the invention is to provide an amusement device in the nature of a target at which projectiles are to be thrown and which is provided with a bulls eye which when struck by a projectile will automatically operate the signal arranged in the target.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which will afford amusement and an interesting pastime and in which considerable skill will be required for the successful operation of the same.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings z-Figurc 1 is a front view of my improved amusement device; Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof; and, Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section of the same.

In the embodiment of the invention, I provide a target l which is of spherical shape and made to represent a baseball. The target 1 may be of any desired size and is preferably suspended in operative position by means of a strap 2 or other flexible connection, the lower end of which is secured to the ball or target l by a metal clip or hanger 8.

The ball or target l is preferably provided with a cover 4 which may be of any suitable material but is preferably formed of buckskin or the like. The cover 4 is provided with filling of excelsior, horsehair, or similar material and arranged transversely through the filling of the ball is a metal tube 5. The tube 5 is preferably formed in sections which are joined at their inner ends at a point near the center of the ball Arranged on the rear side of the ball or target and secured to the adjacent end of the tube 5 is a metal whistle 6. Arranged at the center of the front side of the ball, and secured to the inner surface of the cover directly opposite to and in line with the center' of the whistle and tube is a heavy leather buttress or reinforcement 7, over which on the outer surface of the cover is arranged thebulls eye 8. On the end of the tube 5 adjacent to the reinforcement 7 and spaced a suitable distance therefrom is a concaved or saucer-shaped partition 9, the edges of which have an air-tight connection with the inner surface of the cover and thereby form a vacuum space which provides clearance or room for the reinforcement 7 to move back when the bulls eye is struck.

Slidably mounted in the tube 5 is a plunger or piston 10 comprising circular heads 11 having in their edges annular grooves 12 in which .are arranged packing rings 13 whereby an air-tight engagement is provided between the piston and the inner sur face of the cylinder or tube 5. To one end of the piston 10 is connected the inner end of a plunger or piston rod 14, the outer end of which is slidably engaged with a guide passage 15 formed in the partition 9. The end of the piston rod after passing through the passage 15 engages and is secured to the inner side of the reinforcement 7, as shown. Arranged in the space between the outer end of the piston 10 and the inner side of the whistle is a coiled spring 16, one end of which bears against the whistle and the other end against the end of the piston whereby the latter is retracted or restored to its normal position after being operated.

In the operation of the device, baseballs or similar projectiles are to be thrown at the target and when said baseballs or projectiles strike the bulls eye 8, the force of the ball will depress the side of the target or ball pushing the reinforcement 7 back into the space formed by the partition 9, thereby forcing the piston rod 14 and piston 10 back in the cylinder or tube 5, thus driving the air in the outer end of the cylinder through the whistle and sounding the same. After the force given by the thrown ball or projectile is spent, the coiled spring 16 will retract the piston, thereby forcing the reinforcement and adjacent side of the ball or target back to their normal positions. The retracting movement of the piston will draw or suck air back through the whistle, thus again sounding the same by means of the whistle sounding mechanism herein described. The signal will be sounded each time the bulls eye is struck, thus indicating the accuracy with which the ball or projectile is thrown.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, nroportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention as deiined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is l. In an amusement device of the character described, a target having arranged on one side a bulls eye, a plunger cylinder arranged in said target, a whistle connected to one end of said cylinder, a plunger slidably mounted in the latter, a plunger rod to connect said plunger with the bulls eye whereby when the latter is struck by a project-ile thrown at the target, the plunger will be operated in one direction to sound the whistle, and a spring to retract the plunger and its operating parts to their normal positions.

2. In an amusement device, a spherical target made to represent a base-ball, means to suspend said target in operative position, a bulls eye arranged on one side of the target, a reinforcement arranged on the inner side of the target in rear of the bulls eye, a plunger cylinder arranged in the target, a whistle connected to one` end of said cylinder, a plunger slidably mounted therein, a plunger rod to connect said plunger with the reinforcement behind said bulls eye whereby when the latter is struck, the plunger will be operated in one direction to sound the whistle, and a plunger retracting spring adapted to restore said plunger and it-s operating parts to their normal positions.

3. In an amusement device of the character described, a spherical target made in the form of a baseball and comprising a flexible cover held in shape by a suitable filling material, a flexible supporting strap, a clip to secure said strap to the ball, a bulls eve arranged on one side of said ball, a reinrorcement arranged on the inner surface of the cover behind said bulls eye, a plunger cylinder arranged in the filling material in line with the bulls eye, a partition arranged on one end of said tube and vhaving an air-tight connectie-n at its outer edges with the inner surface of the cover whereby a vacuum space is provided'between the reinforcement and the adjacent end of the tube, a whistle arranged in the opposite side of the ball in line with said tube and connected to the adjacent end thereof, a whistle sounding plunger slidably mounted in said cylinder and having an air-tight engagement therewith, a piston rod having a sliding engagement with said partitions and connected at one end to said piston and at its opposite end to said reinforcement, whereby when the bulls eye is struck, the plunger will be projected and the whistle sounded, and a plunger retracting spring arranged between th-e whistle and the adjacent end of the plunger, whereby the latter and its operating' parts are restored to their normal position after being struck.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOGAN ALFRED DILS. Witnesses Davie STEWART,

J. E. SAMDON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

